I've been getting mail from dozens of IE 8 beta and release candidate users and the reports aren't good. The pre-release software was flakier than French pastry. So I asked you all to report how well the finished product performs. Somehow, Microsoft pulled off a massive turnaround. This puppy is fast, stable and compatible. This probably isn't enough to sway Firefox and Chrome fans, but for IE shops it looks like a nice step forward. With IE 8 looking solid and Windows 7 on the way, Microsoft is looking at a major desktop redemption. Tell me where I'm wrong at dbarney@redmondmag.com.

'Vista Compatible' Ruled a Loose Term
PC buyers upset that Vista either didn't function or barely worked on new low-end machines have failed for the second time to get any kind of recompense. The first wallop of bad news is when the class-action status of a suit claiming damages because Vista wasn't as compatible as the logos said was tossed out.

Now, I'm no fan of most class-action actions because each plaintiff usually pockets pennies while the lawyers walk away with millions. But in this case, a class action is the only option. If each plaintiff only suffered tens or hundreds of dollars in damages, it's hard to pay for a lawyer good enough to take on Microsoft.

Even without class-action status, the suit dragged on -- only to encounter another setback when the same judge, Marsha Pechman (likely an XP user) denied a proposed summary judgment that would've declared the proposed Vista requirements deceptive.

The ever-weakening lawsuit continues, but with this judge's attitude Microsoft may as well pop the champagne corks now!

Mimosa Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

Mimosa Systems made its name in Exchange archiving. Now the California-based company is setting its sights on SharePoint, a tool that's creating its own growing third-party market.

Mimosa NearPoint for Office SharePoint Server doesn't just archive SharePoint documents, Mimosa executives argue, but does so in a way that saves on storage and energy costs. That's because an optical archive uses less power than a hard drive that whirrs more than a hippy at a Phish concert. Users of NearPoint for Exchange can use the same management console, so in a sense the SharePoint is just an add-on to what you've already got.

Are you using SharePoint? If so, how? And are you using any third-party tools? Experiences welcome at